Vinyl frame, multi-panel, sliding door assembly

Abstract

A sliding glass door assembly comprises a frame of rigid plastic, for example polyvinyl chloride, extruded in the form of a plurality of adjacent hollow sections. The upright and horizontal frame members are attached together by screws extending horizontally through the upright members into longitudinally extending screw bosses in the horizontal frame members. The frame members include depending guides for supporting door panels, at least one of which slides open and closed. The door panels are formed of vertical and horizontal sash members which support at least one, but preferably several, glass panels. The sash members are also formed of plural hollow sections that cooperate for strength, and are attached by screw bosses. Preferably, the screw bosses in the sash of the moveable panel or panels are contained in the upright sash members, and preferably each upright sash member has a pair of screw bosses for attaching not only the lower sash member, but also for attaching roller elements at each end of the moveable sash. The roller elements are supported on a track held in the lower horizontal frame member.

I claim: 
     
       1. A frame assembly for a door having at least one sliding panel comprising a pair of elongated upright frame members formed of rigid plastic, a pair of elongated horizontal frame members formed of rigid plastic, means for rigidly attaching said horizontal members to said upright members to form a frame, and guide means on said frame members for supporting said panel and for moving said panel longitudinally between closed and open positions, wherein each said member is formed to have, in cross-section, a series of laterally contiguous hollow sections cooperating to render each frame member rigid over its entire length and forming a rigid frame assembly which is capable of supporting a sliding door assembly; wherein said series in one of said upright frame members and said horizontal frame members comprises a plurality of in-line, first hollow sections, separated by smaller, second hollow sections arranged to accept attaching screws, wherein said second hollow sections maintain the rigidity of said frame members and are capable of withstanding compressive and bending forces associated with attaching the horizontal and vertical frame members together at said second hollow sections. 
     
     
       2. A frame assembly as defined in claim 1, wherein each hollow section of said series is defined by a plurality of walls, and the internal angle between adjacent walls is less than 180°. 
     
     
       3. A frame assembly as defined in claim 2, wherein said series in the other of said upright frame members and said horizontal frame members each comprises a plurality of in-line third hollow sections, contiguous third hollow sections being separated by plastic screw bosses formed integral with said other frame members, wherein said screw bosses are positioned to be aligned with said smaller, second hollow sections in said one members, wherein each screw boss section comprises a plastic boss section extending lengthwise through said frame member and having an aperture extending lengthwise therethrough, and a plurality of ribs extending lengthwise and projecting into said aperture for engaging the threads of a screw inserted through said smaller, second hollow sections, and wherein the rigid attaching means includes a plurality of screws projecting through second hollow sections in said one frame members and screwed into associated screw bosses in said other frame members. 
     
     
       4. A frame assembly as defined in claim 3, wherein each said screw boss defines at least one wall in each of adjacent hollow sections in said series of hollow sections, and wherein said upright and horizontal members are formed by extrusion. 
     
     
       5. A door assembly comprising at least two panels, each panel comprising a plurality of sash members, and a frame assembly, said frame assembly comprising a plurality of elongated frame members formed of rigid plastic for supporting said panels, depending members for capturing and supporting said panels, and guide means for supporting said panels and for permitting at least one of said panels to move longitudinally, in a horizontal direction between closed and open positions, wherein each frame member is formed to have, in cross-section, a series of laterally contiguous hollow sections cooperating to support adjacent hollow sections to render each member rigid over its entire length and forming a frame assembly which is capable of supporting glass door panels, wherein said series in one of said upright frame members and said horizontal frame members comprises a plurality of in-line, first hollow sections, separated by smaller, second hollow sections arranged to accept attaching screws, wherein said second hollow sections maintain the rigidity of said frame members and are capable of withstanding compressive and bending forces associated with attaching the horizontal and vertical frame members together at said second hollow sections. 
     
     
       6. A door assembly as defined in claim 5, wherein one panel is fixed in said frame members, wherein the sash members of said fixed panel comprises four sash members identical in cross-section, each member having a plastic screw boss extending lengthwise therethrough, each said screw boss comprising a plastic boss section having an aperture arranged therein, and a plurality of ribs in said aperture and arranged therein, and wherein each sash member comprises depending portions thereof for mounting at least one pane of glass. 
     
     
       7. A door assembly as defined in claim 5, wherein each panel employs multiple glazing. 
     
     
       8. A door assembly as defined in claim 5, wherein one sash member includes a vertically extending, hollow post centrally arranged between said vertical frame members for supporting said sliding panel. 
     
     
       9. A door assembly as defined in claim 5, wherein each panel includes at least one glass pane, wherein the sash members of each panel are connected to form a panel frame for supporting said glass pane, and wherein each sash member includes a pair of transversely spaced, inwardly extending hollow sections depending therefrom, defining a channel for receiving said glass pane. 
     
     
       10. A door assembly as defined in claim 5, wherein the sash members of said one moveable panel are formed with at least one hollow section and comprise a pair of upright sash members and a pair of horizontal sash members attached thereto, wherein at least one of said upright and horizontal sash members each has a screw boss extending therethrough, each said screw boss comprising a plastic boss section, having an aperture therethrough, extending lengthwise through said sash member, and a plurality of spaced ribs extending along said aperture, wherein said screw bosses provide an attaching surface for the other of said horizontal and vertical sash members. 
     
     
       11. A door assembly as defined in claim 10, wherein each upright sash member on said moveable panel has, in cross-section, a plurality of longitudinally arranged hollow sections and a pair of longitudinally spaced screw bosses extending lengthwise through said upright sash members to provide an attaching surface for said horizontal sash members, wherein said guide means comprises track means on said frame, roller means for supporting said moveable panel and engaging said track means, and means for attaching said roller means to the upright sash members of said moveable panel comprising screws engaging said roller means and screwed into said screw bosses in said upright sash members, wherein said roller means are longitudinally spaced along said moveable panel at either end thereof. 
     
     
       12. A door assembly as defined in claim 5, wherein said series in the other of said upright frame members and said horizontal frame members each comprises a plurality of in-line, third hollow sections, contiguous third hollow sections being separated by plastic screw bosses formed integral with said other frame members, wherein said screw bosses are positioned to be aligned with said smaller, second hollow sections in said one members, wherein each screw boss section comprises a plastic boss section extending lengthwise through said frame member and having an aperture extending lengthwise therethrough, and a plurality of ribs extending lengthwise and projecting into said aperture for engaging the threads of a screw inserted through said smaller, second hollow sections, and wherein the rigid attaching means includes a plurality of screws projecting through second hollow sections in said one frame members and screwed into associated screw bosses in said other frame member. 
     
     
       13. A door assembly as defined in claim 12, wherein an upright sash member of each panel includes a vertically extending interlock portion, and wherein said interlock portions are mutually captured and received when said panels are in a closed position. 
     
     
       14. A door assembly as defined in claim 13, wherein the screw bosses in said frame members are arranged in said horizontal frame members, and wherein said horizontal frame members include a lower frame member, said track means being associated with said lower frame member for supporting said sliding panel, and wherein a screw boss extends lengthwise through said lower frame member under said track means for supporting the weight of said sliding panel. 
     
     
       15. A door assembly as defined in claim 14, wherein said lower frame member is formed with a track receiving recess, and wherein said track means comprises a track disposed in said track receiving recess and positioned over the panel supporting screw boss. 
     
     
       16. A door assembly as defined in claim 5 or 14, wherein said horizontal frame members include an upper frame member, and wherein said depending members are arranged on said upper frame member and comprise a plurality of downwardly depending hollow sections defining a pair of channels for supporting, in a transverse direction, respective panels.